Late Results
Chapter VIII
"Hurry it up, boys, or I won't pay you for your work!" Cid's gruff voice shouted as he paced the catwalk, looking down upon the mechanical beast that lay below him. Miniscule figures scurried around the grey wings that spanned across the entire hangar, and a few of them paused to shake their heads at Cid's comment.
"What, you think I'm bluffing? Get back to work!"
The first indulgence Reeve had allowed Midgar – other than restoring the slums – had been a massive hangar for the Highwind and any other ships. Travelling had become too much of an inconvenience for shipping all the supplies coming into Midgar (and all the rubbish coming out) so they'd built a port by the seaside, as well. Cid had returned to Midgar with Cloud to find the Highwind still damaged from their last run with it, and he had immediately gone to work to get the beauty repaired.
He grumbled in false agitation and continued to stalk the platform. He itched to go down there and pick up a wrench himself, eager to wash all his thoughts away with the smell of oil on his clothing, but he'd been greeted with a new team of mechanics upon his arrival and he'd yet to learn to trust them unsupervised. They had to be whipped into shape with a little Cid Highwind TLC, first. He scratched his stubbled chin, the short end of a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Unlit, though – there was too much grease and oil around for the mechanics.
"You look like you could use a break."
He turned at the sound of a familiar voice, his ragged reflection shinning back at him from the surface of a pair of glasses.
"Huh?" He grunted, squinting his eyes. "What the hell are you doing here, Shera?" He asked, the itch spreading to his neck. The woman brushed her hand over a strand of messy brown hair, replacing it beneath the bandana from which it had escaped.
"Well, you've been gone so often, they needed someone to supervise things when you're away. Tifa suggested me to Reeve and I've been here ever since." She gave a flicker of a humble bow, inclining her head towards him, and his eyes narrowed even more.
"You?" Cid remarked in disbelief. Shera simply smiled in response, gesturing towards the door.
"I can watch them for a few minutes if you would like to go get some fresh air." Her eyes travelled to the unlit cigarette in his mouth, a hint of a smirk on her lips. Cid stepped back, sizing her up and grinding the cigarette in his teeth. Eventually seeming satisfied, he turned back to the open Hangar, his hands grasping the rail as his gritty voice echoed around the room.
"Listen up!" He barked, drawing the attention of most of the workers. "Don't stop working, you ignoramuses! Just listen up! Multitask, for chrissakes!" He muttered choice words under his breath before going on.
"I'm going out for a few minutes. If that first turbine is installed by the time I get back, you can all take an hour off. If it isn't, you'll all go without breaks for a week!"
As he turned he was followed by the shouts of the workers.
"What about our union?"
"Unfair!"
"It's ignorami!"
Cid ignored them, walking down the platform, and cast a look at Shera over his shoulder.
"Well, you comin'?" He asked sharply as he passed by. Shera looked back at the workers.
"Don't you want me to wat-"
"Leave em'!" He muttered, "I could use the company."
"So, he's … human?" Shera asked, staring out at the mass of renovations that were transforming the metropolitan capital. Cid said nothing, grunting while he looked out over the city.
"What about a Maiden's Kiss?" Shera suggested. Cid shrugged.
"Gave him some in his sleep. We'd hoped he'd wake up none-the-wiser." He puffed on the cigarette – now lit – as it faded away to nothingness.
"What about the materia itself?" She suggested, "The one Yuffie used?"
"Well, Jesus, aren't I an idiot!" Cid exclaimed, causing Shera to step back. He gave her a look of mock surprise and admiration, before shaking his head, running a hand over his scalp. "Of course we tried that." He trailed off, muttering choice words under his breath. He'd resolved to be nicer to Shera long ago. He shot her an apologetic glare that lasted a total of 0.3 seconds. She nodded, understanding.
"And …?" She prodded. He sighed.
"Nothing happened. That's the odd thing. We couldn't even activate it. It was just a useless lump," he grumbled. Shera's eyes rolled down to the fields below, her brow creased.
"Couldn't even activate it?" She frowned, "Not even Yuffie? She's very good with materia," she stated in case he was in need of a reminder. Cid nodded.
"But she could use it to transform him in the first place. It was weird, like that one use had used up all the knowledge inside of it," he sighed, "I really don't know. Maybe if Yuffie hadn't been such a damn idiot and stayed where she was supposed to, this never would've happened. Shithead kids."
There was a silence as Shera leaned over the post, peering out.
"That worker …" She mumbled. Cid followed her gaze, peering out a figure out in the fields. He had been coming closer for the past little while, carrying a bundle across his back. Cid gripped the handrail.
"That's Red!" His eyes narrowed again, "He's got Yuffie!" He shot back to the door, his feet clanging against the metal grid below him. He ripped open the hangar door, shooting towards the lift as Shera followed, calling after him. He hit ground level and ran towards the far wall, already yelling at the operators.
"Open the door!" He barked. The operators exchanged glances, but did as they were told. Unlike the new staff, they were used to working with Cid. His feet shifted and his hands clenched at his side nervously.
As soon as the door was open, he shot through the widening crack, out into the fields.
Red nearly shed tears at the sight of Midgar on the horizon. He'd twisted his ankle sometime during the battle and hadn't noticed until the second mile, when the adrenaline finally wore off. Yuffie definitely wasn't portly, but she sagged uncomfortably and his back ached from trying to keep her in place. He was hungry, tired, and bored of praying for her to wake up. He knew how long she could sleep naturally, so he didn't doubt that she would be out cold for a while. He feared she could have a concussion, or internal bleeding, or another dangerous condition that needed immediate medical attention. For all he knew, her appendix was about to burst, and she could die on his back.
When the city got closer, Red noticed a big change since his last visit. Vines were working their way up the walls, weaving into intricate patterns, and he had to smile. Some parts of Reeve's campaign just screamed of Tifa. She made a pointof appreciating nature, out of respect for Aeris. He'd even heard that her old church in Sector 5 was being maintained as a monument to her memory, and now Sector 5 was flourishing with flower shops.
He saw the door to the newly-added hangar opening, accompanied by rhythmic clanks, and before long a stocky figure with grubby blond hair shot out, running towards Red at top speed.
Red stopped, a sleepy smile spreading across his face as Cid approached. He rushed forward, hastily taking Yuffie from Red's back and carrying her in his arms.
Red stretched, feeling a muscle crack in his neck.
"Shit …" Cid muttered, noticing Red's limp. "What the hell …"
Red rubbed a hand against bleary eyes that itched from sweat. He mumbled their story as Cid muttered curses under his breath. Workers stopped in their steps as they passed, their eyes slanted in concern.
"Get. Back. To. Work!" Cid bit off the words one by one as they made their way back through the hangar. Like a ripple in the water, they all slowly turned back to their tasks as he passed. Shera was waiting for them at the end.
"Oh my God," she whispered. "I've already paged the hospital, there should be a unit waiting for you in the upper city exit."
To abolish the gaps between classes, the former "slums" were being used for businesses, and cleaned regularly to look proper. Residents were on the upper levels, where the sun could shine. Shafts were set up with mirrors to reflect some light into the business district, giving things a more cheerful look.
Red followed Cid out the exit, his sleepy smile still plastered on. It wasn't until he saw the medic van, the red-suited figures coming towards him, that he collapsed to his knees, letting the darkness swallow him whole.